She cut massive squares of layered goodness and placed one on each of our three (my sister, mom and me) Salvation Army plates. As I tucked into the steaming tomato saucy lasagna, I was thinking of the next slice I would take. I was also daydreaming about how we would warm up the lasagna in the toaster oven the next day.

There was a feeling of sagging, sweet disappointment nearing the end of my initial slice as I realized there was no way I could manage another bite let alone another slice. I teased apart the remainder with my fork exposing layers of cheese and spinach, ricotta and mushrooms and nibbled like a mouse at an impossibly large and delicious wedge of cheese.

Laura lay awake a little while, listening to Pa’s fiddle softly playing and to the lonely sound of the wind in the Big Woods,…She was glad that the cozy house, and Pa and Ma and the firelight and the music, were now. They could not be forgotten, she thought, because now is now. It can never be a long time ago.”

-Laura Ingalls Wilder

The nearest supermarket was two miles away and there we’d buy our groceries once a week after work and school. Our shopping cart loaded high we’d nonchalantly push it past the rows of parked cars until we got to the outer limits of the parking lot and then we’d make a dash for it out of the lot. In sleet and snow banks in winter, and scorching sun in summer, we’d push our groceries home, a bit embarrassed as we walked through the affluent neighborhoods and caught the disapproving wrinkled noses of our “neighbors”.

Once home we’d unload the cart and carry our groceries up to our third floor apartment leaving the metal cart on a corner. My mom would then call the supermarket and in a haughty tone, mimicking our WASP neighbors, tell the supermarket that “someone’ had abandoned a shopping cart on the corner.

Staring at our full fridge and pantry my mom would heave a dramatic sigh and announce “We’re rich!”

“So they all went away from the little log house. The shutters were over the windows, so the little house could not see them go. It stayed there inside the log fence, behind the two big oak trees that in the summertime had made green roofs for Mary and Laura to play under. And that was the last of the little house”

-Laura Ingalls Wilder

For the “beef” crumbles in my vegan lasagna I used this brand. Feel free to use what ever you have in your market. There is no need to have all of the ingredients in your vegan lasagna; just make sure the ratios are similar. Throw in eggplant or zucchini slices if you prefer.

A round main dish just seems so festive. Give my holiday frittata a try and and I promise you won’t be dissapointed.

Layers of mushrooms, butternut squash, caramelized onions, and spinach all held together with a quick basil "ricotta". This dish makes a stunning centerpiece on the holiday table. If you are making this gluten free you will need to use gluten free noodles. They my be the kind that you need to cook ahead of time.

Course:
Main Course

Cuisine:
Italian

Servings: 8people

Ingredients

1boxlasagna noodlesoven ready gluten free if needed

1boxfirm tofu14 ounces

2cupsbasil leaveschopped

1tbspnutritional yeast

1tsplemon juice

2clovesgarlic, mashed

24 ounce marinara

12ouncesmushrooms sliced thick.

2cupsfrozen spinach thawed and wrung dry.

1cup butternut squashcubed

2onionsdiced

2tspoiloptional

1pkgveggie "beef" crumbles

1 1/2cupvegan cheeseshredded

nutritional yeast for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Turn your oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

I used a 10 inch springform pan.

Sauté your sliced mushrooms in a pan over medium high heat with 1 tsp oil until browned about 4-5 minutes. If you have a non stick pan, feel free to skip the oil.

Steam your squash until tender and mash.

Sauté your diced onions and beef crumbles in a pan over medium heat with 1 tsp oil until golden about 10 minutes. If you have a non stick pan skip the oil.

In a food processor place the garlic, basil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and tofu and pulse until you have a crumbly green ricotta. Salt and pepper to taste.

Spread 1/2 cup marinara on the bottom of your pan. Layer your noodles over the marinara (overlapping each other slightly) using a scissor to round the ends of your lasagna noodles where needed.

Evenly spread the 1/3 of the ricotta over the noodles with a rubber spatula.

Sprinkle over 1/2 cup of your shredded "cheese".

Sprinkle 1/3 of your onion "meat" crumble mix.

Spread all of your mushrooms over the onion "meat" layer.

Top with 1 cup marinara and smooth.

Layer on another layer of noodles.

Spread 1 cup marinara over.

Evenly spread the 1/3 of the ricotta over the noodles with a rubber spatula.

Sprinkle over 1/2 cup of your shredded "cheese".

Sprinkle 1/3 of your onion "meat" crumble mix.

Spread all of your mashed butternut squash evenly over the top.

Top with another layer of noodles.

Spread the rest of the "ricotta" over the noodles.

Sprinkle all of the spinach over the "ricotta".

Pour the rest of the marinara on top, smoothing it.

Top with the rest of the "meat" onion mixture.

Sprinkle over the last 1/2 cup of cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Allow to rest 20 minutes before "springing" it. I mean before removing it from the spring form pan.

Hi Rosemary, I like to assemble it in advance, bake it, and the reheat it the next day. It saves so much time on the actual day. The resting time, after heating, is necessary for it to cut cleanly. As you can see I did post a photo of a cleanly cut wedge. It cuts well but like any Lasagna does the wedges do not hold their shape once you start eating them with a fork, they sag and slip, if you know what I mean. Enjoy your holiday!